1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed toward vehicle steering alignment and, more particularly, toward a fixture for checking a steering column alignment mark, which is subsequently used for properly orienting a steering wheel on the steering column.
2. Description of Related Art
In manufacturing automobiles, it is known to use an apparatus to mark the steering column to permit proper orientation of the steering wheel relative to the steering column. The steering column mark is placed in a location on the steering column corresponding to a neutral or centered position of the steering column. This method of marking the steering column and aligning the steering wheel with the steering column works well under normal circumstances.
However, it sometimes occurs that the apparatus used to mark the steering column is not operating correctly. In this situation, the mark is improperly positioned on the steering column, and this ultimately leads to a steering wheel that is misaligned relative to the steering column. A misaligned steering wheel will appear to be turned left or right when the steering column is neutral or centered (i.e., steering the vehicle “straight ahead”). Such misalignment must be corrected, preferably before the vehicle has left the factory, or else the driver will not feel comfortable with the steering performance.
Further complicating this problem is the fact that the error in the steering column mark placement may not be detected until much later in the assembly process, at which point numerous vehicles having potentially improper steering wheel alignments have been produced. Therefore, in addition to having to examine the steering column marking apparatus to determine and correct the problem that resulted in the improper placement of the alignment mark on the steering column, the steering wheel alignment on numerous vehicles must be checked and corrected, if necessary. Naturally, this is a time consuming process that creates significant expense and downtime for the manufacturer.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an apparatus and method for checking the accuracy of the steering column marking machine and, more particularly, checking whether the steering column alignment mark is, in fact, in the correct position on the steering column. Moreover, there exists a need in the art for such an apparatus and method that may be used in connection with several different vehicle models.